1 day quilting retreat

As I said in my last post, I'd post this picture of the quilt top I finished right after Christmas. I am not overly fond of floral prints and wasn't keen on this as I finished the blocks. When I pulled them out last week and put them together I felt better about them. Then my Lisa saw it and was practically drooling over it. Kinda unusual for her. Funny after all this time, you'd think I'd know my own daughter's taste.

Earlier this week I had the lecture to give in Lodi. I was pleased with the response to my Thirtysomething quilts.  And then there was a club meeting at BF. I took my hand quilted sampler for Show and tell. Sue came for a good long visit the next night. In between I got caught up a little on stuff around here that  I neglected last month when Mark was home from work. And then yesterday I had to get stuff together for a mini retreat.


That was today when I retreated to Judy's for a much needed respite from everyday life. I haven't done any piecing lately  and when I suggested to Judy that we get together, she asked if I'd come her way to spend the day. It's always exciting to spend the day with her because I have such a good time chatting and am so inspired and learn stuff too. She's the longarm quilter I used most till I got my machine.  I sure hope she feels I entertained her enough to do it again. I know she liked that she was able to finish quilting this Irish Chain while I was there. I'd love to give credit to the designer and piecer too, but I don't have that info.

A sewing marathon like today always gets my gears wound up. Even though I put several kits together so I could grab and go, I still take some time to look at them first to make sure I will know what I am doing beforehand so that I don't have to do too much thinking while I am sewing with others. Glad that all worked out. Stuff got done that I'll show later. Judy doesn't have the same kind of flannel wall for taking pictures and apparently I should leave the camera home in the future.  Thanks Judy. I had a great time.

Adrenaline rush

St. Peter's raffle quilt is ready for the quilter and this year that's me. 2 weeks ago I brought it home to finish. The rows just had to go together and the borders added. I don't know why, but sometimes I procrastinate and then it is never as bad as I think. This time it was the borders that held me up.  The borders were all done and ready to go, but I reworked them a bit cause some of the fabrics we used in the border weren't in the center of the quilt and they clearly clashed! Didn't see that till I spread it out on my wall at home.

The pattern is called "Pinwheels on Parade" by Pat Speth from her book, More Nickel Quilts. This pattern was a great choice for a group quilt. It didn't matter that everybody sews a different width seam allowance. After the blocks were done, we squared up the blocks to 8" instead of 8 1/2".  The border treatment was my idea. I don't think I could find a single print that I'd  like more. I've never made a border like this before. Besides being easy to sew, it was easy to adjust the length to fit. On 3 sides I had to sew a deeper seam between 3 pairs of strips. It sure would have been a pain had they been diagonal seams.I hope to have it ready for the binding before we meet again on the 21st, cause I ain't doing that part.

While I was procrastinating about that border, I took a half-day to sew at Benny's. Instead of summer quilt club meetings, they are having an all day,once a month, come when you can open sewing session. I thought a mini retreat was in order. They're like adrenaline for quilters. So I packed a suitcase (it's got wheels)  and machine and headed out. Attendance wasn't the greatest, but that just meant more room to spread out.

I cut all the strips for two lap sized quilts using the Accucut Studio Cutter. Then I made these 3 blocks. It's the start of a quilt called "Bali Sea Star" from Kim Brackett's book Scrap Basket Surprises.  Also sewed some random triangles together. Now I am thinking ahead about going next month and using the Accucut again. I will have to put some more kits together.I think I will go do that now.
 Sew long.

Retreat report

Welcome to all, especially my new followers.
My re-treat didn't go quite as planned because I was kind of called to work.  I still got a bunch done in spite of that.  I put the extra border of squares on this quilt top, bringing it to 92" square.

And I got the last border on this quilt top, too.  It fits a twin bed now and looks great when it's on the bed. I was thinking of adding blocks on point all the way around this one, but the math wasn't working in my favor. This pattern is called Quilter's Dream by Judy Martin from her book, Scraps Blocks and Quilts.

 

 I also got another UFO just about done.  It just needs the last 2 borders.  I hope to work on that tonight.
The comfort quilt  that was on the frame downstairs is finished, and I've got another one loaded and a quarter done.  I think if I had done anymore I'd be pretty sore from sitting at the machine sewing all day. This retreat didn't come with a masseuse.

I haven't said much about work, because I don't like to think of it as work.  I guess I'm what you might call a caregiver.  There's 4 people that we care for. I don't do it all alone. My husband is a big help with all 4 of them. One is my 82-year-old mother, 2 is my adult daughter with Asperger's, 3 is a mentally ill middle aged man, and 4 is my 89 year old neighbor lady. They don't all need the same help. Some days, they simply need company. Otherwise, depending on the person it's me/us that takes them to doctor appointments or  manages their meds or their money or helps with their house/work. I usually refer to them as "my people". You would be correct in assessing that it is a full-time job, and it would be if I did it alone.  You would also be correct if you guessed that I quilt to keep my sanity. Isn't it a wonderfully soothing past time?  Amazingly, my blood pressure is just fine. Well son of a gun, I hear my sewing machine calling again. Thanks for visiting.

Retreating at home

Hi everyone,
I've had a busy 10 days since the last time I wrote.  For starters, I finally put the additional borders on the Kings beauty quilt. So glad I did.

Then I cut more squares to add another border to another one of the quilts. I hope to get that done today.

Got another border ready to go on this quilt top.

I also assembled 3 kits for myself.

And I dug out 3 PHD's to see what they needed. And a lot of cutting is what they needed. So I rummage through my scraps to find what I needed and cut the pieces to finish those 2 quilts. I just made a little mess and another pile of scraps.

I've got the house to myself this weekend and plan to get a lot done. Not the same kind of fun as a retreat away with your friends, but I will be smiling. I gotta enjoy it while I can.  Mark is off of work the next 10 days and I never know when I will get a chance to quilt when he's around. Speaking of quilting, I think I should hide down stairs in the quilting studio when he is home. I am just about done with the comfort quilt on the frame.  I'll try to get that done this weekend and another one loaded before he gets back. Also on my list of things to do this weekend is finish the binding on 2 quilts.  It will be interesting to see how much I get done.  Well I'm going to go, I hear my sewing machine calling.

Weekend report

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Friday night Shaggy didn't come to quilt with Margie and Sue. She came with her boyfriend to visit though. I love it, but we don't get any sewing done then. I enjoy it when she comes to sew too, and not just cause she brings this candy bag she made for when she comes.

I also quilted a comfort quilt for Quilt club. They go so quickly on the longarm. Maybe too fast. And I worked on some pillowcases for the pillowcase challenge. I don't really know what it is about except I guess it has something to do with a magazine and the fabric companies and either the sick or the poor. They are collecting them at Oconomowoc Ben Franklin.

I am using a new coffee cup this morning and realized I never shared with all of you the wonderful door prizes I won at the retreat a week ago. Do you believe this is my first sewing basket? I sewed lots of doll clothes and my own clothes since junior high, but I don't remember ever having or using a sewing basket. So I am thrilled to have won it. It had a few notions included. In a second drawing I won the coffee cup. Pretty good haul I'd say.

Today I am going to tackle my taxes. With any luck I will be sewing again tonight.

Spring Retreat Report

Good day everyone in blogland.

I am happy to report I recovered quickly from last weekend's retreat. That doesn't mean it was less wonderful. I just took better care of myself. I got a walk in every day and didn't overdo it. Also, a massage therapist was there this year. I was long over due for a massage so signed up for half an hour. So many of the other ladies did too, that she came back the next day. Instead I got a 5 minute mini chair massage on Friday night and half hour on the table on Saturday night. Amazing how much that 5 minutes helped.


I had hoped and expected to get more done. But it isn't a big deal cause I didn't have any deadlines. I first had planned to finish this applique. But I only brought the one bobbin in the machine and it had the wrong color.


So I worked on this star first. I didn't finish it because I wasn't sure I was going to like how the light golden inner borders looked. We didn't have a flannel wall at our disposal so rather than be unhappy and want to rip it, I brought it home to study. Still undecided that it is dark enough. I am thinking of tea dyeing the border first. Yes I realize the fabrics for the 60" star are rather plain, but won't the quilting show up nicely?


Then I started making red strip-pieced triangles for a mystery quilt like Sharyn Craig's Strip Tease or Margaret Miller's Strip's That Sizzle. I often call a quilt I've started a "mystery" because I don't have definite plans for it yet and it is a mystery to me what I am going to do with the blocks I have started.
After that I worked on some nine-patches for another mystery. Not sure if I will set them with half-square or quarter-square triangles and won't even think about it till I have made many more - someday.

Well, I am sure that all the inspiration from this retreat will last me a while. I should have thought ahead and gotten my taxes done before hand. Now I have to stop and take care of those, and just when I was on a roll. Thank goodness they have gotten easier with the computer.

Stay tuned for a report on progress on these 3 new projects. Sew long,

Preparing for Retreat

Last week I realized I was going on retreat next week and thought I better get ready. It has been difficult because I can't decide what to work on. I always like to take lots especially for this retreat cause it is 4days and I sew fast. I want to keep in mind that last Nov. retreat wiped me out pretty bad so I better plan some down time. This retreat is in the Kettle Moraine State Forest -Northern Unit so there are hiking trails nearby. If I use them will depend on the weather. Last year we woke up to snow.

So far this is what I have planned to do.
1. Blind stitch applique the swag on the red and green applique quilt.

2. a big one block quilt like this one. Different design, different colors and a pieced border.
I love these for using up old fabric fast. I have already made two and plan on doing more.

3. some pillow cases for whichever magazine that challenged all of us to produce a million pillowcases this year for the needy.

4. Maybe I will finish up the Gayle's Flower Garden hexagon quilt top. I don't want it much bigger and hope eventually to make one with black and dark colors instead. This is how far I am now.
5. I have to plan more, so will rummage through my scraps or books till I am inspired. Maybe I will take along another PHD.

I love the energy generated by these retreats. Even getting ready has me all fired up.
What motivates you?

Best Retreat Yet

I love whoever it was that started the whole concept of a quilters retreat. I am still feeling the effects of the retreat I took a few weeks ago. Having been to them before, though never often enough, I knew to pack plenty to work on. I packed 6 projects and never touched 3. But I did get a good deal done. One of the PHD's (Project half done) I packed was for this star quilt. I'd made these Golden Years stars about 10 years ago. I never finished the project because I didn't like the gold fabric I chose. In fact, I hated it with the green so much, that I threw away the pieces already cut and sewn for a pieced border. I did that cause I didn't want to be tempted to change my mind. That left me with 8 blocks. Duh! Why I didn't finish a 9th is beyond me.



Well, I enjoy a challenge like this, so I came up with an alternate block to use and simply made more green and yellow stars to go with it. Now I need to decide on which setting and what to do for the center block if I choose this version. And I haven't got a clue what I will do about a border. I'll probably sew the blocks together than put this project away again till I come up with something for the border.



That seems to be a pattern with me. One time I counted that I had 17 projects waiting for borders! And Yes, I already know they don't all need one.

This weekend I am going to get back to another project I worked on at the retreat. With luck you can see that soon too.
Sew long and thanks for visiting.